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Leveraging Pro Tools M-Powered
In one of our March installments,
we talked about options for making Pro Tools a bit more
portable, which led to a brief mention of Pro Tools M-Powered.
This week, we layout the few differences between Pro Tools
LE and Pro Tools M-Powered, and take a closer look at which
version maybe right for you.
Are Both Versions Created Equal?
After scouring the new Digidesign website, I believe I
have been able to sniff out the disparity between the two
versions, and compared to Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools M-Powered:
- Requires an Ilok (USB Dongle) For
Copy Protection.
- Does Not Support the Command|8 or Control|24 Control Surfaces
- Does Not Support the DV ToolKit 1 or 2
- Does Not Support DigiTranslator 2 (OMF/AAF Import and Export)
- Does Not Include the Pow-R Dither Plug-In (Does Include
the
DigiRack Dither Plug-In)
- Does Not Include the Ignition Pack (Does Include Ableton
Live Digidesign Edition)
However, what Pro Tools M-Powered does provide that Pro
Tools LE does not, is support for M-Audio hardware, which
currently includes
- Audiophile USB
- Fast Track Pro
- JamLab
- ProjectMix I/O
- M-Audio Black Box
- M-Audio Ozone
- MobilePre USB
- Fast Track USB
- Transit
- FirweWire 1814
- FireWire 410
- FireWire Audiophile
- FireWire Solo
- Ozonic
- Delta 1010
- Delta 101LT
- Delta 66
- Delta 44
- Audiophile 192
- Audiophile 2496
As, always you should visit the Digidesign website for for the most up-to-date information on compatibility.
Understanding the Inequality
Considering the differences, which is the best version for
you? Perhaps the best way to answer this, is to look at how
important each difference is to you and what you are looking
to accomplish.
Requires an iLok (USB Dongle) For Copy Protection
Although this is probably only a minor inconvenience for
desktop users, if you are using Pro Tools M-Powered on a
laptop, not only is it worrisome to tote an iLok around (which
can easily get lost or stolen), it is quite a fragile protrusion,
especially in those tight airline seats. Digidesign really
ought to rethink the use of an iLok here, but I doubt they
will, so it is something to consider.
Although Pro Tools LE does not require an iLok, the MBox
(the most compact hardware option) isn’t exactly that
portable either.
Does Not Support the Command|8 or Control|24 Control Surfaces
I doubt most Pro Tools LE users own a Control|24 considering
its price, and the M-Audio ProjectMix I/O favors comparably
to the tactile control of the Command|8, making this difference
insignificant.
Does Not Support the DV ToolKit 1 or 2/ Does Not Support
DigiTranslator 2 (OMF/AAF Import and Export)
Although the M-Powered users can get in on the Music Production
Toolkit option for the increased track count (among other
things), the DV Toolkit option is not supported. So if you
are really looking to work on post production projects, you
really should stick with Pro Tools LE for SMPTE and OMF/AAF
support, and other post-related perks. Although why OMF/AAF
import/export is still not a standard feature like every
other audio/MIDI application available is beyond me?
Does Not Include the Pow-R Dither Plug-In (Does Include the
DigiRack Dither Plug-In)
My guess is that this is a very minor difference to most, and was only mentioned
in the interest of being thorough.
Does Not Include the Ignition Pack (Does Include Ableton Live Digidesign Edition)
A strange omission in my opinion, why shouldn’t the usual third-party bundled
software makes it’s way to the M-Audio audience? Of course you can always
buy the full versions of Reason and Melodyne, but the upgrade pricing from the
Ignition Pack versions, certainly makes it more affordable.
The Right “Pro” Tools for the Right Job
Now that you have a better of understanding of the differences, let’s identify
some of the scenarios that might make or break a Pro Tools M-Powered purchase.
Ultra Portable: Pro Tools M-Powered for the Pro Tools HD User
Being a Pro Tools HD user myself, I would just like to be able to open sessions
on my MacBook Pro just for editing, working with software instruments and playing
back projects while on the go. Short of having a CoreAudio version, Pro Tools
M-Powered fits the bill. Using the M-Audio Transit (which is about the size of
a deck of cards), I am able to launch Pro Tools without lugging around any bulky
hardware. Although I wouldn’t use it as serious recording option, it enables
me to do what I want while I am away from my HD rig.
audioMIDI.com was also kind enough to hook me up with a Terra
Digital Audio ML12i
Pro laptop for this article. Even as a Macintosh user, I didn’t have any problems
getting it working with Pro Tools M-Powered, and had the M-Audio hardware up
and running in no time.
An Alternative to the Digidesign MBox 2
For those of you who don’t care about the few differences between Pro Tools
LE and Pro Tools M-Powered, The M-Audio FireWire
410 is an excellent contender to the Mbox 2. Not only does the FireWire 410 cost
less, but is comparable in sound quality and even packs more inputs and features.
An Alternative to the Digidesign 002: Control Other Applications
Again, for those you who don’t care about the few differences between Pro
Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered, the M-Audio ProjectMix
I/O provides an experience comparable to the Digidesign 002. Although the
build quality
isn’t as good, you do get a control surface with integrated audio and MIDI
I/O. However, in addition to supporting Pro Tools M-Powered, the M-Audio ProjectMix
I/O is compatible with Ableton Live 5, Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer* and
Sonar, and maybe a much more flexible option for those of you working with more
than one application.
For those of you who already have M-Audio hardware, perhaps using it to work
with other applications, Pro Tools M-Powered is a no-brainer when it comes to
getting into the Pro Tools game. However, for those of you still trying to decide,
hopefully this has been a helpful look at the differences. – one thing
that is for sure, is that there are more options for using Pro Tools than ever!
Pro Tools Tidbits
If you have a Pro Tools related question that you would
like me to take a shot at answering or have any feedback,
please send it to scott@audioMIDI.com. I will do my best
to select the questions that seem to stump the most people.
As always, stay tuned to the audioMIDI.com eNews for the latest reviews and new product info.
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